This is my first fic in 5 years... oops. The ATLA obsession hit me that hard though.

By no means by best writing, but I actually wrote something, so I'm gonna share it. Let me know your thoughts! BG.97 x

If she was being honest with herself, it was only as Suki slid her back down the side of the airship onto the floor, that she remembered to actually breathe.

What a day.

When she thought about any of it for longer than a moment, she began to think that she had imagined the whole ordeal, and yet here she was, sat on a Fire Nation airship on her way to be reunited with Aang and Katara and Toph and whoever else they'd picked up on the way. As she closed her eyes, the last 2 days came back in flashes. Sokka appearing in her cell. Zuko apparently being on their side. Them being so close to getting away, but her choosing to stay for Sokka's sake. Climbing that wall. Taking the warden prisoner. Fighting Azula and Ty Lee on top of the gondola. Her mind then started to wander further back, to nights spent in that hot metal bed. To prison guards teasing her and prodding her and lingering longer than necessary. To Azula taunting her. To day after day of trusting Sokka would come, but never fully knowing whether he would. She choked on the final thought and opened her eyes to remind herself that he did in fact come - she was free.

Suki looked around again, still having to constantly remind herself that all of this was real. She took in Zuko sat towards the engine, sitting quietly contemplating the fire. She took in Chit Sang passed out on the floor, sprawled out, making the most of the space. She took in Sokka curled up next to his Dad smiling and recounting some story, and her heart momentarily jumped, immediately followed by a pang of jealousy. He never came for you. He came for his Dad; you were just a happy coincidence. You would have kept waiting, and you probably wouldn't have crossed his mind. The thoughts rose up in her, even though she didn't want to believe them, and she was so caught up in them that she almost didn't notice as Sokka slid down beside her, until she felt him interlock her hand with his.

Shaken out of her reverie, she looked at him, and felt herself calm down again. He was here, and he had got her out and whether it was intentional or not, it had happened. His eyes squinted questioningly at her as she thought so loudly it couldn't help but show on her face.

"What are you thinking?" He said gently, as his free hand brushed a loose strand of hair off her face.

Suki shrugged. "Just trying to process this whole day, and the fact that I'm actually out of that place, you know? It felt like I was in there forever."

His hand squeezed hers tightly, and he leant his head on hers, "I'm sorry it took me so long to come get you."

"It's okay..." then more gently, "Hey Sokka... It was coincidence that you found me at Boiling Rock, isn't it? You and Zuko only came for your Dad, didn't you?"

His hand squeezed tighter again, and he sighed before responding.

"I didn't know you were going to be there, no, but I can't stress just how relieved I was to see you, and to think that I might actually be able to get you out of there... I'm sorry. Are you mad?"

She scoffed, "How can I be mad that you chose to prioritize finding your father over some girl you've barely spent a week with?"

It was Sokka's turn to scoff.

"How can you possibly think that's how I see you? Suki, you aren't just some girl to me."

Suki looked up at him, and in seeing the earnest in his eyes, she found herself unable to say anything, instead opting to squeeze his hand again: their new preferred mode of communication, it seemed.

Sokka took another deep breath as his lips brushed the top of her head. He clearly wanted to say something but took a moment to find the right words. "To be honest with you Suki... I didn't know what had happened to you; whether you were even alive... and I think I was scared to find out."

"On the day of the invasion, Azula tried to lead us on a chase away from where Ozai was. I worked out her game, and had convinced Aang and Toph to leave her, and then... well then, she brought you up. Said how 'her favourite prisoner' had mentioned me, counting on me coming for her, how she'd - " his voice trembled as he finished his sentence, "given up on me coming for her."

"I charged at her; Toph pinned her to the wall so she couldn't get me. In that moment, I wanted to kill her. I could have done it."-

"Sokka, don't say that."

"I mean it, Suki, I swear.

"After our conversation at Serpent's Pass, I knew that you didn't need me to protect you and that you were able to look after yourself. And then I heard that you had been captured, and it just felt like I fucked up again, that I couldn't protect you, just like I couldn't protect..." Sokka sighed. "Anyway, that's all in the past. You're here, and from now on, we're going to try and keep it that way."

"We are?"

"Well... I'd like to try, if you would? I know you don't need me to protect you, but I want to. And besides, I could do with you protecting me."

Suki found herself laughing for the first time that day. "Yeah, you boys would have been Unagi food if it weren't for me."

Sokka laughed beside her, relishing the brief moment of feeling like normal teenagers laughing about how much they need each other. "Are you mad about the other thing?"

"What other thing?"

His eyes moved from her to Zuko, who was doing his best not to doze off.

"Ah, that other thing. I mean, it's definitely going to take some getting used to, and honestly, I'm not thrilled at this turn of events. But lucky for you, Sokka, I trust you. And if you trust him, well... I guess I'll have to learn to."

"Well, you trusting me is mistake number 1, but sure thing"

She punched his arm before tucking her head into the crook of her neck. "Together, from now on. Right?"

"Right.

Wait, do you mean together, or do you mean together? I mean either is absolutely fine with me, in fact both are pretty agreeable to me but I'd appreciate the distinction because they're definitely different things and-"

"Sokka?"

"Hmm?"

"Shut up."

"Yes ma'am."

He pulled away from her slightly, positioning his body to face her rather than be beside her. Sokka's hand reached up to cup her face and he leant closer to kiss her.

"Sokka... what are you doing? Your dad is right there."

"Eh, he's a grown man, I'm sure he'll get over one little kiss,"

"Sokka!"

"Besides, he already likes you."

"How can you be sure?"

"He saw you scale a 10ft wall today. He knows already that you're too good for me. Now stop talking and let me kiss you."

"Okay, fine but-" Suki found herself unable to finish her sentence as Sokka's lips found hers and gently lingered for a few seconds before pulling away and resting his forehead against hers.

"Together, from now on."

Memories from her time in prison threatened to creep up, and with them, worries of what happens next, and the reminder of this endless war and the way in which she'd found herself in the middle of it. But as Sokka slipped his arm around her shoulder, and her eyes fluttered shut as her body drifted into sleep, Suki felt herself in a moment of peace. From now on, whatever came next, she wasn't alone.